July was a busy month for RCMP as motorists set records for 2023. 

SGI reports in their monthly spotlight for July that over 5,300 speeding tickets were handed out. This is the most for a single month so far this year, with plenty of people now paying the price. 

Tyler McMurchy, a spokesperson for SGI, thinks that perhaps a trending song may be to blame. 

"Maybe that Luke Combs song 'Fast Car' is in everybody's head," joked McMurchy. "You may have a fast car, but that doesn't mean that the speed limit doesn't apply to you."

The faster a speeder is going, the higher their ticket price ends up being. Instead of speeding and losing their driver's license for three days or longer, motorists should slow down, obey the posted limits, and drive safely. 

The next biggest result from July traffic safety was distracted driving. The focus of July was the prevention of distracted driving, but still, some drivers were caught on their phones. 739 tickets were handed out for distracted driving, 621 of those being for cell phone use. 

"We want people to understand there's a million good reasons to pay attention while driving," said McMurchy. "Driver distraction and inattention is one of the leading causes, historically, of collisions. We want people to understand; that when you're driving, just drive."

Drivers in July must have been gluttons for punishment, because an additional 468 impaired driving tickets were issued, with yet another 464 being issued for seat-belt-related incidents. 

"I'm not sure the two are related," said McMurchy. "But we do see typically between 350 to 500 impaired driving offences each month."

Officers now test for more than alcohol. They are equipped with roadside tests that can detect not only marijuana but other substances like cocaine. 

No matter what substance has been consumed, the best option is to call for a ride or to wait until sober to travel. Putting one's own life at risk along with those of others on or near the road is never the right call to make.

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